iKan wrote
Quote:
I can use some advice and assistance from individuals who have lived in Europe. I'm searching for a European city and I don't think visiting is enough, someone has to live somewhere to understand everything about a country. I'm searching for a place with:
1. low crime, little poverty, and most importantly clean
2. people: welcoming, worldly, fashionable, kind and easy to get to know, NOT racist
3. a great transportation system
4. a good job market and opportunities for immigrants
5. not very expensive, not too small, and a good school I can go to and earn my education.
maybe my expectations are high and the place I'm describing is utopia or awaits us after we pass away but I'm sure that there's a place that comes pretty close. the most important for me are the people.
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Most cities in Europe have their neat, clean places, and so there are neighborhoods where it is dirty, smelly,...
I lived in Brussels for about 10 years and this is a city that is known for being dirty, no jobs, lots of immigrants,...
I never had any trouble finding a job, I lived in different neighborhoods, with different cultures together and had never problems with them.
Though, I wouldn't recommend it to native English speakers because you have to be at least bi lingual (Dutch, French) to get a good job there. Or working for an international company, or European union.
As far for Belgian cities, I'd say Ghent is the closest to your dreams;-)
It is clean, people are friendly, not too expensive yet, it is close to a lot of other big cities, public transport is fair. It is also a student city (lots of colleges and univ).
I like London a lot but it is a wayyyy too expensive!
Some German cities are cool, but have no experienced living there.
Anyway, you'll see that you might have to lower your expectations a little...it'll never be perfect!